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Video of the 22-year-old’s time so far at the Bundesliga club show why Jurgen Klopp wants to add him to his ranks.
His fancy footwork leaves defenders for dead as he shows off his ball skills.
He also has pace to burn and will fit in perfectly with Klopp’s exciting speedy attack.
Koppites were delighted with the move but desperate to see him in a Reds shirt.
“Liverpool's midfield and forward line are gonna be excellent next year ,” wrote one fan.
“I'm so happy. I'm not used to Liverpool doing smart business like that,” commented a third.
And it looks like Liverpool have not finished in the transfer window just yet.
They are still strongly linked with a move for Southampton defender Virgil Van Dijk.
And the club have made successive bids for Monaco star Thomas Lemar.
Durham police last week put the final nail in the coffin of the Home Office mantra "nothing to hide, nothing to fear", with a clear announcement that DNA and fingerprinting could harm an individual’s career prospects – even if they are otherwise totally innocent.
The warning came in a press release relating to mephedrone, which began by establishing that the substance remains legal to possess – until the government determines otherwise – but illegal to sell for medicinal purposes.
The release observes that "its chemical formula is one molecule different to ecstasy and as such dealers are claiming is not a controlled substance." This would in fact make mephedrone a different chemical substance from ecstacy – in much the same way that carbon monoxide is not the same as carbon dioxide - and therefore clearly not a controlled substance, irrespective of claims made by dealers.
However, it is in police remarks relating to the consequence of possessing mephedrone that the greatest concerns are to be found. Barnard Castle-based Inspector Kevin Tuck is reported as saying: "In Durham police have taken a stance and anyone found with it will be arrested on suspicion of possession of a banned substance."
He adds: "They will be taken to a police cell, their DNA and fingerprints taken and that arrest, depending upon enquiries, could have serious implications for example on future job applications" (our italics).
We asked Durham police for clarification of what possible serious implications there could be for an individual found in possession of a legal substance who had their fingerprints or DNA taken. It was speculated that perhaps some employers would ask prospective job candidates about details not merely of convictions, but of all contact with police – and therefore having DNA taken could adversely affect job prospects for that reason.
However, we have had no official response to our inquiry and remain as baffled as the Home Office, who are still sticking to their line that DNA testing in and of itself can have no consequence for an individual.
A Home Office spokesman said: "Employment checks are not linked to the DNA database and employers cannot check if a potential employee is on the DNA database.
"As we announced last month in our proposals for DNA retention, the police would be required to remove DNA profiles from the database after six years if the person was not subsequently convicted.
"Under the exceptional case procedure, an individual can apply to their police force to have their DNA removed. This will be decided by the chief constable, and the criteria for that application are for the first time set out in statute in our proposals."
Therefore, the official line continues to be that DNA testing is an innocuous process and, as ever, "if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear".
Whether the police should have any role at all to play in the regulation of a legal substance is an interesting question: defendants of the police role (pdf) in this would point to the fact that as well as upholding law and order, local police forces are tasked with "keeping the Queen’s peace", as well as "protecting, helping and reassuring the community".
Buddy's Roadside, at 56NW 29th, directly across from the Rubell Family collection, is essentially a parked food truck serving barbeque. It's run by local institution Vincent "Buddy" DeVingo, who is well-known for his catering business, Movie Food. There are two high-end "smokers" or cookers outback nicknamed "R2D2" and "The Beast," which look like they eat George Foreman grills for breakfast.
While the food is for carnivores, he also has something planned that will appeal to the vegetarian/vegan crowd -- behind the truck are four concrete raised beds with gardens for organic fruits and vegetables. For Saturday, he tells us the ribs will be something special, and that there will be beer available to wash it all down.
For a complete rundown on what's happening Saturday, check City Link's Art Murmor blog.
Late edition: New Times's Art Walk Preview is now up.
We like our pets. In fact, it’s been estimated that Americans spend $41 billion a year on them, so it makes sense that many are looking for creative ways to cut down on their pet bills. Fortunately, it’s mostly common sense.
Prioritize your pets needs; food is more important than toys. Besides, I know my cat is just as happy playing with a ball of tin foil as he would be with a store bought plastic one.
But don’t skimp out on vet visits. Think about it… a $30 bill from the bet for a shot or a checkup is a lot less than what you’d have to pay if something serious came up. Preventative care can save you money in the long run.
Also, shop around for your pet supplies. Does the grocery store have a better deal on pet food than a pet specialty store? Maybe a bulk warehouse or the Internet can save you money on the same pet supplies. And don’t worry about generic brands. There are some generics that are made by “premium” pet food companies, and differ only in the label.
After 10 months of educating themselves on the complexities of the world’s most intractable dispute, White House officials said, Mr. Trump’s team of relative newcomers to Middle East peacemaking has moved into a new phase of its venture in hopes of transforming what it has learned into tangible steps to end a stalemate that has frustrated even presidents with more experience in the region.
The prospects for peace are caught up in a web of other issues consuming the region, as demonstrated in recent days by Saudi Arabia’s growing confrontation with Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel is likewise worried about Hezbollah as well as efforts by Iran to establish a land corridor across southern Syria. If a war with Hezbollah broke out, it could scuttle any initiative with the Palestinians.
Nonetheless, Mr. Trump’s team has collected “non-papers” exploring various issues related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and officials said they expected to address such perennial dividing points as the status of Jerusalem and settlements in the occupied West Bank. Although Mr. Trump has not committed to a Palestinian state, analysts said they anticipated that the plan will have to be built around the so-called two-state solution that has been the core of peacemaking efforts for years.
Mr. Trump, who considers himself a dealmaker, decided to adopt the challenge when he took office in January, intrigued at the idea of succeeding where other presidents failed, and he assigned the effort to Jared Kushner, his son-in-law and senior adviser. Neither had any background with the issue and the effort was greeted with scorn, but the fact that the president entrusted it to a close relative was taken as a sign of seriousness in the region.
Mr. Trump’s team sees the convergence of factors that make the moment ripe, including an increased willingness by Arab states to finally solve the issue to refocus attention on Iran, which they consider the bigger threat. With that in mind, Egypt is brokering a reconciliation between Mahmoud Abbas, who presides in the West Bank, and Hamas, which controls Gaza, a deal that would cement the Palestinian Authority as the representative of the Palestinian people. Saudi Arabia has summoned Mr. Abbas to Riyadh to reinforce the importance of a deal.
Still, neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel nor President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority is in a strong position to negotiate. Mr. Netanyahu faces corruption investigations and pressure from the right in his narrow coalition not to make concessions, while Mr. Abbas is aging and endures strong opposition among his own constituents.
Skepticism abounds, especially among those who spent years struggling to overcome the same challenges with the same set of tools. President Barack Obama and his advisers debated for months putting forth their own parameters for a deal, ultimately outlining a general set of principles at the end of last year in a speech by Secretary of State John Kerry as time ran out on the administration.
Tamara Cofman Wittes, a State Department official under Mr. Obama, said both Israeli and Palestinian leaders “are heavily constrained” not only by their own governing coalitions but by suspicious and risk-averse publics. “It’s hard even for willing political leaders to make major concessions under those circumstances,” she said.
The core four-member team drafting the plan includes Mr. Kushner, Mr. Greenblatt, Dina H. Powell, a deputy national security adviser, and David M. Friedman, the ambassador to Israel. They are consulting with Donald Blome, the consul general in Jerusalem, and others from the State Department and National Security Council. Officials said the effort may take until early next year.
Mr. Trump and his team make no bones about being pro-Israel. The president has boasted of being Israel’s “biggest friend” and Mr. Kushner, Mr. Greenblatt and Mr. Friedman are all Orthodox Jews with ties to Israel. But Ms. Powell is an Egyptian-born Coptic Christian and Mr. Kushner has developed strong ties with the Saudis and other Arabs and recently returned from a visit to Riyadh. Mr. Trump has met with Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Abbas three times each.
But privately, officials from both sides express concern that Mr. Trump and his team are still naïve about the Middle East and ineffective in accomplishing their objectives.
Dennis Ross, the veteran Middle East peace negotiator, said Mr. Trump’s team has “done a very good job of presenting themselves as having listened” and is now “taken seriously” in the region.
Some analysts said they believed Mr. Trump’s plan may come with confidence-building provisions that each side will already have agreed to. For Israel, it could include limiting settlement construction to current blocs without taking new land, recommitting to a two-state solution and redesignating a small part of the West Bank to give Palestinians more control.
For the Palestinians, it could include resuming full security cooperation with Israel, holding off seeking further international recognition and ending payments to families of Palestinians imprisoned for terrorist attacks. Arab states, particularly Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, could add their own commitments, like overflights by Israeli passenger planes, visas for business people and telecommunications links.
A White House official dismissed that as mere speculation. But the challenges of getting even to that stage are formidable, much less tackling harder questions.
Israel’s allies in Washington are pressing from the other side. The House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday will consider a bill to cut aid to the Palestinian Authority unless it ends payments to families of Palestinian attackers.
Palestinian leaders say the payments are meant to help destitute families, not promote terrorism, and they accuse Israel of subsidizing violence by encouraging settlers in the West Bank. One compromise floated recently would have the Palestinian Authority help those families through a general welfare program that does not prioritize relatives of prisoners.
Still, some analysts think Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Abbas are simply playing along with the goal of ensuring the other is blamed when the process collapses.
An earlier version of this story incorrectly said former President Barack Obama opted against releasing his own parameters for a Middle East peace deal. Secretary of State John Kerry outlined a general set of principles in a speech at the end of last year.
Even without the worry of illness, lots of new parents can find themselves worrying more about the future once they have a new baby in their arms.
We had our first baby three months ago. He has had some early health issues which required surgery in hospital. This was of course very worrying and stressful for me and my wife but this has been resolved now and physically he is doing fine.
However, the reason I am contacting you is because my wife is suffering consistent and debilitating anxiety about our baby’s health. Even now that the health issues have been resolved, she does not seem to be able to move past this and is constantly worried about him. She seems stressed all the time and does not seem to be able to enjoy being a parent. I am quite worried about her.
Are you aware of any psychology or counselling services (private or public) which might be able to help her deal with this anxiety more effectively and start her back on road to full mental health? Any contacts or suggestions you might have would be greatly appreciated.
Answer: It is great that you are making contact and seeking support for your wife and your new baby. While having a new baby is one of the most special events in a couple’s life, it can also be very stressful and bring lots of new challenges. Parents can struggle to adjust to their new roles, feel overwhelmed with the demands of caring for a small infant, while also suffering a lack of sleep and reduced personal recovery time. In addition, you and your wife are dealing with the special challenge of having a baby with health problems and this understandably brings extra worry and strife. As a result, it is not surprising that many new parents ( both fathers and mothers) encounter mental health problems such as anxiety and depression at the time of their babies birth and during the subsequent months.
So it is understandable that your wife has become worried and anxious in response to your baby’s illness. And once anxiety has been triggered it can continue long after the original reason. Your wife might continue to worry that the illness could return or that something else could go wrong. Even without the worry of illness, lots of new parents can find themselves worrying more about the future once they have a new baby in their arms. Sometimes feeling anxious and helpless comes with the territory of being a parent.
You are right to want to help your wife recover from her anxiety and to manage it a bit better so it is not interfering her enjoyment and satisfaction at being a new parent. In doing so it is important to be patient as recovery is likely to take time and consist of small steps. There are lots of excellent supports and services that might help, such such as Postnatal Depression Ireland 021-4922083 (pnd.ie) or the Nurture Charity (nurturecharity.org) or Aware (aware.ie). There are also some excellent parent-to-parent support services, such as Cuidiu (cuidiu-ict.ie) which offers both individual and group support and Parentline, which offers a telephone helpline (1890-927277, parentline.ie). Your wife should also make contact with her local public health nurse or GP who will be able to offer support and recommend the best local services and support groups.
What you can do to help?
As your wife’s partner you have a very special role in helping her recover. The key is to be empathic, supportive and patient. Try to listen and understand when she expresses her worries – it is useful to make sure you have daily talking time when you listen to whatever she wants to say. Try to gently encourage her to take some action towards recovery – but remember this has to be at her own pace and could be only small steps such as going for a walk one day, ringing a friend another and contacting the public health nurse another.
Remember, practical help and becoming fully involved as a father is likely to be really important. For example, perhaps you can arrange your routine so that you are always there on a certain day to care for the baby so your wife can attend a much-needed yoga class or you can commit to taking over the baby care every evening at the same time so she can have a rest then. Being fully involved in the parenting will not only support your wife but will also benefit your baby and you personally as a father.
As you suggest in your question, perhaps the most important thing you can do is help your wife enjoy her baby and the role of being a mother. Daily enjoyment and connection with the new baby is the antidote to postnatal depression and anxiety for most parents. Think what you can do to help her have simple enjoyable moments with the baby, perhaps during feeding, bathtime or special playtime where you simply watch and marvel at your baby together. Celebrate and notice together these little moments.
Recognise also your own needs as a father – you could be feelings some of the anxiety, stress or depression that your wife might be feeling. In addition, you might find it distressing to see your wife being debilitated by the anxiety or you might feel frustrated that she has not moved on from this or you might be worried about her and what will happen next. Take time to acknowledge however you are feeling and take steps to seek support. For example, you might get support by contacting the services above yourself or by contacting a friend who you can talk to. In addition, just like for your wife simple things will help you cope such as ensuring you carve out a relaxing time for yourself daily as well having a daily fun time with the baby and doing as much as you can to get a good nights sleep.
Dr John Sharry is a social worker and psychotherapist and co-developer of the Parents Plus Programmes. He will deliver a number of parenting workshops this autumn including Parenting Young Children on October 20th and Parenting Teenagers on October 21st (both in Dublin) as well as Helping Anxious Children on November 18th and 19th in Cork. See solutiontalk.ie for details.
Don’t sleep on these tickets if you want to get into the shows.
Do you ever assume you can wait to get tickets at the door to your favorite shows, only to find that they already sold out? We consulted promoters from different venues around town — Christine Varriale of Bowery Boston, Alex Pickert of Middle East Nightclub, and Ryan Agate of RTT Presents — to warn you about which Boston concerts are running low on tickets. If you snooze this time, don’t say we never told you so.
State tax revenue continues to lag behind collections a year ago, but there is some emerging good news amid all the gloom.
Net general revenue collections remain down about 12% from last year. The state has collected $5.7 billion so far this fiscal year, compared to $6.4 billion last year. Still, State Budget Director Linda Luebbering sees some encouraging numbers in the latest revenue report. Corporate income tax collections, off more than 8% for the year, increased 7.5% for the month, indicating businesses are beginning to come out of the recession. Individual income tax withholdings are up slightly.
Luebbering says that provides a bit of hope that the Nixon Administration won’t have to cut as much from next year’s budget.
We’re close to the end of this fiscal year, which is June 30th. On the first of July, the state begins a new fiscal year.
Individual income tax collections, off nearly 9% for the year, were down 6.5% in April. Sales and use tax collections, down 6.5% for the year, were down 3% last month.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Rob Mayer (R-Dexter) was pleased that the state repaid the $520 million taken from the Budget Reserve Fund to get through some thin times. Mayer says the reserve fund is important.
“It’s a positive trait that the state of Missouri has and it’s good that that money was repaid before May 15th, which was the required deadline that it be paid back with interest,” Mayer says.
Neither Mayer nor Luebbering is willing quite yet to say the state has turned the corner, but they’re hopeful.
The government's decision to do away with input tax credit (ITC) for Goods and Services Tax (GST) levied on housing could increase the scope of using black money in the real estate sector. However, experts have different views on the extent of the impact, as the government is working on mitigating such risks.
Last month, the GST Council slashed the GST rate on under-construction houses to five per cent, against the current 12 per cent for flats priced at over Rs 45 lakh. The GST rate on affordable housing was also cut to 1 per cent from the existing eight per cent. Further, builders will not be able to claim input tax credit (ITC) in both cases. ITC is the credit available for all taxes paid on inputs across the value-chain to make production transparent and efficient as well as create audit trails to curb tax evasion.
"In the absence of ITC, the trail of invoicing will not be available. This may have opened up the scope of employing black money in the sector again," says Pankaj Kapoor, Managing Director at property consulting firm Liases Foras.
Real estate contributed about 6-7 per cent to India's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017. According to a 2018 KPMG report, the sector is expected to contribute about 13 per cent to the GDP by 2025 and the industry is seen becoming the third largest globally at around $1 trillion by 2030. The sector was worth $120 billion in 2017.
Along with the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA), the GST regime was bringing transparency into a sector that was used to operating in an opaque environment, says Pankaj Kapoor. Under GST, builders had an incentive to file invoices for the purchase of construction materials and inputs to claim ITC and their complete transaction trail could be monitored as a result, he explains. These inter-linkages, according to him, ensured that the builder's cash flow and work flow were transparent. Employing black money in the sector had become difficult and any under-invoicing on the part of the builder could be uncovered, he adds. "By setting in place this data-driven system where everything is measurable, GST would have weaned real estate off of black money over time," says Kapoor. Further, according to him, it had also become difficult for builders to accept black money from buyers.
"That chain has been broken after Sunday's announcements. Earlier, there was a linkage between the builder's revenue and cost. However, these have been disassociated now," says Kapoor.
With the absence of ITC some builders might find that the incentive to file invoices has reduced. Instead, there could be an incentive to buy construction material or land in cash. This would be cheaper for builders as they can escape paying GST on these inputs. In turn, this opens a window for the deployment of black money to make the said purchases. "As input tax credit is removed, some unscrupulous developers may resort to cash payments for items with high GST and replace them with invoices for lower GST or zero-GST items. Invoice matching and input tax credit was an effective way to cull this practice. But with this change, risk increases of misreporting GST," explains Ankur Dhawan, chief investment officer at PropTiger.
Anuj Puri, the chairman of ANAROCK Property Consultants, believes that the scope of bringing black money back into the system is limited. "There is a possibility that certain builders will try and skip paying GST by making payments for input materials through cash. This could technically increase the scope of black money in the market. However, given the tightening regulatory environment and speedier identification of instances of tax evasion, the results of such efforts will be interesting to observe. There is a cap on cash transactions and most often, even the vendors who have to match up their bills refuse to take major cash components, as they would later be answerable if wrongdoings come to light," explains Puri. "This new rule will not lead to a massive influx of black money into the sector," Puri adds.
The GST council's suggestion to mandate a procurement cap of around 80 per cent of input from GST-registered suppliers may just plug the loophole.
But, Kapoor, for his part, says that since real estate and construction are very local subjects, it would be difficult to monitor use and purchase of inputs -- like sand, bricks, piping, and electricals, etc -- at such a micro level. He also argues that while cement and steel make up for around 40 per cent of the cost of a project, the rest is made up of inputs that are sourced from local vendors.
White Oak�s dream of a second straight state title came to an end with a loss at Cardinal Gibbons in the NCHSAA 3-A East Regional final.
White Oak�s dream of a second straight state title came to an end with a 4-1 loss at Cardinal Gibbons in the NCHSAA 3-A East Regional final.
Cardinal Gibbons (21-2-1) will play St. Stephens (21-3-2) on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the state final at Dail Soccer Stadium at N.C. State University in Raleigh.
White Oak beat CGHS 2-1 in the regional final last year.
The defending state champion Vikings trailed 4-0 at halftime before Della Futral scored in the second half.
While disappointed with the loss, Carroll was pleased with the effort.
GOALS�W: Futral. C: Gibbons 2, Reid, West. ASSISTS�C: Gibbons, Hiltbrunner, Hickey. IN GOAL�W: Jones (8 saves), C: Twomey (NA saves), Glaser (NA saves). SHOTS ON GOAL�W 5, C 8. CORNER KICKS�W 2, C 6. RECORDS�W: 20-5, season complete. C: 21-2-1, vs. St. Stephens on Saturday at 11 a.m. in state 3-A final.
ATLANTA – Lowe's Cos. Inc. (LOW), the No. 2 home improvement retailer, reported a 20 percent rise in quarterly profit on Monday, topping estimates, as a strong housing market drove sales of appliances and services.
But the company also said sales at stores open at least a year were running at the low end of its expected range.
"August sales momentum slowed," said Eric Bosshard, an analyst with FTN Midwest Securities, who also noted concerns about rising operating expenses.
Second-quarter earnings rose to $838 million, or $1.05 a share, from $700 million, or 87 cents a share, a year earlier. Sales at stores open at least a year, an important retail gauge, advanced 6.5 percent.
Analysts, on average, expected profit of $1.02 a share, according to Reuters Estimates.
Sales rose 17 percent to $11.9 billion as better weather led consumers to take on delayed home improvements. Lowe's said its average purchase rose 5.6 percent to $67.40, while customer count rose 11 percent. Its so-called Big 3 — installations, special orders and commercial products — drove the higher-than-expected same-store sales.
"The housing strength is showing through, and there's really no end in sight to the expansion into urban areas, which is helping Lowe's same-store sales," said Keith Davis, an analyst with Farr Miller Washington. He expects similar results from industry leader Home Depot Inc. (HD), which is due to report quarterly earnings on Tuesday.
Lowe's said second-quarter sales rose in all categories except lumber, which was hurt by lower pricing. Appliance sales were up in the double digits as consumers bought energy-saving washers, and Lowe's said its appliance market share in units rose to 16.1 percent during the quarter. A heat wave in some regions fueled air conditioner sales, it said.
Lowe's, the No. 2 U.S. appliance retailer behind Sears Holdings, said it would be pleased to see appliance maker Whirlpool Corp. (WHR) acquire its smaller rival Maytag Corp. (MYG).
"We think that the way Whirlpool invests in innovation, it can certainly help Maytag keep the brand recognition that it deserves," Lowe's Chairman and Chief Executive Robert Niblock (search) told Reuters.
Lowe's, which is expanding beyond its Mooresville, North Carolina, base to large U.S. cities such as New York and Chicago, opened 27 stores in the second quarter, including its first New Hampshire store, to bring its total to 1,138.
The retailer said it expects profit of 76 cents to 78 cents a share for the third quarter, and $3.31 to $3.37 a share for the full year. Analysts currently expect 76 cents a share for the third quarter and $3.29 a share for the year, according to Reuters Estimates.

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